Value Food to Protect our Climate

When thinking about fighting climate change we often overlook a very significant source of gas emissions: food.

This article by Pete Pearson talks about the way in which agricultural practices are one of the largest contributors of human-generated greenhouse gases. Billions of tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere when natural landscapes are cleared to grow crops and in turn diminishes the land’s ability to re-absorb the gas and store it in the ground. Although the world grows enough food to feed the population for years to come, much of the food we produce turns into waste. This article emphasises the importance of valuing the food we grow and reducing the waste of food to limit the need for agricultural expansion and lower the impact food waste has on the environment.

Article Takeaways:

The world produces enough food to meet consumer demand for years to come

We lose or waste a third of all food produced—1.3 billion tons of food a year

Reducing food waste would protect habitats

Food waste contributes directly to climate change

Valuing food more and wasting less will help protect the planet and feed everyone on it